The next part of the repentance prayer is recitation of the 88 Buddha(s) name.

In a way it seems like an invocation ritual where 88 Buddha(s) are invoked to witness one’s repentence. It is important to bear in mind that in Buddhism, the magic of spiritual practice lies in mind training and one’s spiritual transformation. Buddha never taught one to pray to a “God like” being. The danger of praying to a God-like being is

1. We tend to swing in polarity. There is a mortal of inferior quality and a supreme being of Superior quality. Unfortunately one usually define the supreme quality according to one’s unenlightened perceptions. That creates a mental super egoistic beings that one use to define the divine law that affect our lifes and surrounding. When a Buddhist does that, we say they are attached to form and therefore had fallen prey to Mara.
2.  One’s habitual thought stray away from Buddha’s teaching of non self, emptiness, Dharmakaya and Dharmadhatu. These are the key elements of Buddhist wisdom. No wisdom means no enlightenment.

The first 53 names is derived from the sutra “Buddha’s discourse about the two Bodhisattva, （药王菩萨）Bhaisajya-Raja Bodhisattva and （药上菩萨）Bhaişajya-samudgata Bodhisattva. According to the sutra, one who hears the name of these 53 Buddha shall not fall into lower realms for countless rebirth, those who recites the name shall encounter Buddha of different directions, those who can make utmost homage in these 53 Buddhas shall overcome the bad consequences caused by Ānantarika-karma

1. killing one’s Father
2. Killing one’s mother,
3. Killing an Arhat,
4. causing a Buddha to bleed,
5. Creating a schism within the Sangha 

Note: Here the sangha refers to the community of monks and nuns and lay disciples, not the enlightened Sangha that we take refuge in.

Note: Though we may not do any of these 5 misdeeds in this life, but maybe we did so in the past. Also, I think number 5 can be easily achieved if one is not careful with words and end up sowing discord amongst fellow Buddhist.

For beginners of Buddhist mind training, the 1st step to approach this ritual is faith. Remember all the stuff discussed about Buddha’s qualities earlier on? At this part of the Ritual, it is very imporatant that one has faith. Faith is self generated in our mind. Don’t forget we are our own doctors. We possess the Buddha nature too. Once our mind is in line and in tune, then we can work on ourselves.

The following Buddha names in Sanskrit is derived from material on the internet, plus some of my own edit. I am not a Sanskrit expert. I relied on internet dictionary. Since the layer of meaning in Sanskrit is manyfold and profound, I did not translate the Chinese into Sanskrit word for word. There is also an English translation that is derived from the Chinese text.

1 南無 普光 佛
Namo Samanta-prabha Buddhaya

Namo Universal-illuminating Buddha

2 南無 普明 佛
Namo Samanta-prabhasa Buddhaya

Namo Universal-radiance Buddha

3 南無 普淨 佛
Namo Samanta-vimala Buddhaya

Namo Universal Purity Buddha

4 南無 多摩羅跋 栴檀香 佛
Namo Tamalapatra-candana-gandha Buddhaya

Namo Cassia sandalwood fragrance Buddha

5 南無 栴檀 光 佛
Namo Candana-prabha Buddhaya

Namo Sandalwood Light Buddha

6 南無 摩尼幢 佛
Namo Mani-dhvaja Buddhaya

Namo Precious Gem Banner Buddha

7 南無 歡喜藏 摩尼寶積 佛
Namo Siddhigarbha-Maniratna-samjita  Buddhaya

Namo Bliss-store ManiGem accumulated Buddha

8 南無 一切世間 樂見 上大精進 佛
Namo Sarvaloka Svagata MahaVirya Buddhaya

Namo welcome by All Worlds Highest Effort Buddha

9 南無 摩尼幢 燈光 佛
Namo Mani-dhvaja-dipaka Buddhaya

Namo Mani-banner-lampLight Buddha

10 南無 慧 炬照 佛
Namo Prajna-jvalati Buddhaya

Namo Wisdom blazing Buddha

11 南無 海 德光明 佛
Namo Samudra Dharma-prabhasa Buddhaya

Namo Ocean moral brightness Buddha

Note: 光明 is Prabha – Dharma-prabha will be a literal translation but if we add a “sa” then Dharmaprabhasa means upholder of the law of Dharma

12 南無 金剛 牢強 普散金光 佛
Namo Vajra-gahana Suvarna-prabha Buddhaya

Namo Vajra impassable blazing Golden Light Buddha

Note: I put 牢 prison 強 strength together and it means an impenertratable fortress. The connotation of guarding one’s practice and mind is more agreeable with me. Thus I did not emphasize on the word prison when I translate this name.

（杂语）传心法要下：“问何者是精进？

师云：身心不起。是名第一牢强精进. 才起心向外求者，名为歌利王爱游猎去。心不外游，即是忍辱仙人。身心俱无，即是佛道

13 南無 大強精進 勇猛 佛
Namo MahaViryasattva Buddhaya

Namo Powerful Zeal courageous Buddha

14 南無 大悲光 佛
Namo Maha-Karunabha Buddhaya

Namo Great Compassionate Light Buddha

15 南無 慈力王 佛
Namo Maitribala-raja Buddhaya

Namo King of Loving Kindness Buddha

16 南無 慈藏 佛
Namo Maitri-garbha Buddhaya

Namo loving-Kindness Store Buddha

17 南無 栴檀窟 莊嚴勝佛
Namo Candanakha vyuha-vijaya Buddhaya

Namo Sandalwood cave Vyuha victorious Buddha

18 南無 賢善首 佛
Namo Dharmavat-sattva Buddhaya

Namo Foremost in virtuous piousness Buddha

19 南無 善意 佛
Namo Maitrayana Buddhaya

Namo Wholesome Intent Buddha

20 南無 廣莊嚴 王 佛
Namo Maha vyuha-raja Buddhaya

Namo King of Vast Adornment Buddha

21南無 金華光 佛
Namo SuvarnaPuspasri Buddhaya

Namo Golden Flower Light Buddha

22 南無 寶蓋照空 自在力 王 佛
Namo SvarRatnaChatra SukhaVat  Buddhaya

Namo King of Jeweled Parasol Illuminating Space Power of Mastery Buddha

23 南無 虛空寶華 光 佛
Namo SvarRatnaPuspa prabha Buddhaya

Namo Space-Precious-Flower light Buddha

24 南無 琉璃 莊嚴王 佛
Namo Vaiḍūrya Vyuharaja Buddhaya

Namo King of Lapis Lazuli Adornment Buddha

25 南無 普現色身光佛
Namo SarvaRupa-prabha Buddhaya

Namo Vast Manifestation Aura Buddha

26 南無 不動 智光 佛
Namo Acala Prajnabhadra Buddhaya

Namo Immovable Wisdom Light Buddha

27 南無 降伏 眾魔王 佛
Namo Vizve-Marajit Buddhaya

Namo Subduing-All-Mara-King Buddha

28 南無 才光明 佛
Namo Buddhi-prabha Buddhaya

Namo Talent Illuminating Buddha

29 南無 智慧 勝佛
Namo Prajnajaya Buddhaya

Namo Victorious Wisdom Buddha

30 南無 彌勒仙光佛
Namo Maitreya-mandala Buddhaya

Namo Maitreya Halo Buddha

31 南無 善寂 月音 妙尊 智王 佛
Namo Nirvacana Chandrasvara Vapurdhara Prajnaraj Buddha

Namo Noble-silent Moon-sound wondrous wisdom-king Buddha) –

Reminded me of those occasion when Buddha remained silent to compassionately defeat heretics. I like this name because it’s very poetic. The sound of moon is so Zen!

32 南無 世淨光 佛
Namo LokapavitabhA Buddhaya

Namo worlds purifying Light Buddha

33 南無 龍種 上尊王 佛
Namo Nagapraja Adhiraja Buddhaya

(according to Master Hsuan Hua, This is Manjushri Bodhisattva)
Homage to Naga lineage supreme king Buddha

34 南無 日月光 佛
Namo Kirana Buddhaya

Namo Sun and Moon light Buddha

35 南無 日月珠光佛
Namo KiranaVirajati Buddhaya

Namo Sun and Moon Gem Light Buddha

36 南無 慧幢 勝王 佛

Namo PrajnaDhvaja Jayaraj Buddhaya

Namo Victorious King Wisdom Banner Buddha

37 南無 師子吼 自在力王 佛
Namo Simhagarjana Sukhasri Raja Buddhaya

Namo Lion’s Roar Sovereign Power King Buddha

38 南無 妙音 勝佛
Namo CitraSvara Jayavat Buddhaya

Namo Wonderful Voice Victorious Buddha

39 南無 常光幢 佛
Namo Akhanda-bha Dhvaja Buddhaya

Namo Eternal Light Banner Buddha

40 南無 觀世燈 佛
Namo Avalokitedipa Buddhaya

Namo Observing the World-Lamp Buddha

41 南無 慧威燈王 佛
Namo Prajnasri Dipa-raja Buddhaya

Namo King of Wisdom Might Lamp Buddha

42 南無 法勝王佛
Namo Dharma-jayaraj Buddhaya

Namo King of Dharma Victory Buddha

43 南無須彌光佛
Namo Sumeru-dipika Buddhaya

Namo Sumeru Light Buddha

44 南無 須曼那華光 佛
Namo SumanaBha Buddhaya

Namo Great Jasmine Light Buddha

45 南無 優曇鉢羅華 殊勝王佛
Namo Udumbhara Vijayavat Buddhaya

Namo Udumbhara Blossom Excellent Victory King Buddha –

Note: A very rare flower that blooms when wisdom manifest

46 南無 大慧力 王佛
Namo MahaPrajnasri Raja Buddhaya

Namo King of Great Wisdom might Buddha

47 南無 阿閦毗 歡喜光佛
Namo Aksobhya-Siddhi-bhA Buddhaya

Namo Immovable Bliss Light Buddha

48 南無 無量音聲 王佛
Namo AmitaSvara Raja Buddhaya

Namo Infinite voice King Buddha

49 南無 才光 佛
Namo Buddhi Dipa Buddhaya

Namo Illuminating Talent Buddha

50 南無 金海光 佛
Namo Suvarna-Abdhi Prabha Buddhaya

Namo Golden Ocean of Light Buddha

51 南無 山海 慧自在通王佛
Namo GiriAbdhi Prajna Siddhiraj Buddhaya

Namo King Mountain Ocean Wisdom Sovereign Knowledge Buddha

52 南無 大通光 佛
Namo MahaSiddhiBha Buddhaya

Namo Great Knowledge Light Buddha

53 南無 一切法 常滿王佛
Namo SarvaDharma ParyAptaRaj Buddhaya

Namo King Eternal Fullness of All Dharmas Buddha

Note: For western audience, the name may looks weird or nonsensical, however in the eastern context, it is fairly common to have a name made up of items that includes auspicious articles, qualities, precious objects and situation etc.

End of part four.

Hope you enjoyed reading.

May all be auspicious, well and happy.

Please feel free to share and teach others who are interested too.